Capercaillie

Following in the footsteps of Secret People and Delirium, this album offers mainly original compositions with the inclusion of the occasional Gaelic song and instrumental. Karen Matheson's voice is the featured instrument, and she is again accompanied adeptly by Charlie McKeron on fiddle, Manus Lunny on bouzouki and guitar, John Saich on bass, and Donald Shaw on keyboards. A new accent was added to the mix with the introduction of piper Fred Morrison, who plays the Highland small pipes on four cuts. Davy Spillane (uilleann pipes) makes a guest appearance on "Ailein Duinn," which was originally performed by Capercaillie in the film Rob Roy. Although the objections from old-school Capercaillie fans are growing more faint with each release, muffled cries of "sellout" can still be heard in reference to songs like "Why Won't You Touch Me" and "Claire in Heaven," slick pop/rock pieces that the dissenters claim merely include traditional instruments in order to uphold a "false" integrity. The group, however, attributes their ongoing tendency toward fuller production and contemporary instrumentation to "natural musical progression." ~ Dave Sleger, All Music Guide